Tribal people take part in a march in Manila to protest what they described as the intrusion of destructive development projects in their communities. (Photo by Maria Tan)
Activists marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with demonstrations in several cities around the world to raise awareness over alleged threats to tribal communities brought about by "destructive development projects."
In Manila, hundreds of tribal people, pro-environment and human rights activists, braved monsoon rains as they marched in the streets to denounce alleged attacks on tribal people who voice opposition to projects affecting their communities. Kerlan Fanagel, spokesman of the tribal group Sandugo, said the government should "listen to the cries of tribal people" and stop programs "that aim to evict us from our ancestral lands." According to Katribu, an alliance of Philippine tribal groups, at least 59 tribal people have been killed since 2016 when President Rodrigo Duterte came to power.Katribu spokeswoman, Kakay Tolentino, claimed those who resist "aggressive development projects" are being intimidated, harassed, and killed.
On Aug. 6, a human rights advocate who works in a tribal community in the northern Philippines was shot outside his house in Lagawe, in Ifugao province. The Cordillera Peoples Alliance said the attack on Brandon Lee, a 37-year-old paralegal volunteer for the Ifugao Peasant Movement, was "an attempt to silence" those who speak for the rights of tribal communities. Call to end mining operationsOn July 1, tribal people put up a "people’s barricade" to hinder operations. On July 25, a local court threw out a company bid allow full operations to continue.
As a result, OceanaGold has declared the full suspension of its mining operations in the province.As of Aug. 8, OceanaGold’s share values had dropped 23 percent since the start of the year.
Leon Dulce, national coordinator of Kalikasan PNE, said they noted "numerous rights violations" experienced by those manning the barricade, such as "red-tagging," surveillance, and home invasions. Company data revealed that some 87 billion pesos (about US$1.7 billion) worth of copper, gold, and silver were mined by OceanaGold from 2013 to 2018, while only 4.7 billion pesos (about US$90 million) or only 5.4 percent were provided in salaries, taxes, and development projects.